After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 486 The Strange Things at Jinlan Courtyard
Xiong Feng answered truthfully, "Miss Zhao said that Cong Rong came from humble origins and couldn't recognize her own status. Her words were full of contempt and provocation towards Cong Rong. I find it strange that Miss Zhao has such deep hostility towards Cong Rong?"

Everyone looked at Princess Qingkang.

Princess Qingkang insisted that this was slander.

The emperor finally turned his gaze to Zhu Sha. "Guards! Take this wretched maid away for interrogation. Make sure she tells the truth! Also, arrest and interrogate all the maids who were with Miss Zhao yesterday!"

Princess Qingkang was shocked, "Your Majesty!"

The emperor interrupted her, "You wouldn't want your daughter to die without knowing why, would you?"

Princess Qingkang collapsed to the ground, her eyes lifeless.

She didn't know what grudge there was between her daughter and Shen Congrong, but she knew that her father-in-law had been cursing the Marquis of Yong'an at home these past few days. Could it be that her daughter was deliberately making things difficult for Shen Congrong because of this?

Even so, Shen Congrong shouldn't have killed her precious daughter. No matter what, she had to get justice for her daughter!
The palace has a set of interrogation methods. Zhu Sha was just an ordinary maid and couldn't withstand it at all. In less than half an hour, she explained the whole story.

It's pretty much the same as what Shen Congrong said.

When the emperor learned that Shen Congrong was innocent, his expression softened considerably, and he said gently, "It seems that the key lies with that eunuch. Do you remember what that eunuch looked like?"

"No rush, think it over carefully," the Empress Dowager said.

Shen Congrong said carefully, "That eunuch was not tall and was very thin. He always kept his head down. I only remember that he had a delicate appearance."

This description suggests that a large portion of the palace could be found.

Just as the emperor frowned, Xiong Feng stepped forward and said, “I saw that the little eunuch was not angry at being beaten, but instead looked terrified, so I followed him all the way and found that he went into Jinlan Courtyard and never came out again.”

"Jinlan Courtyard!" The Emperor and Empress stood up simultaneously.

Even Princess Qingkang stopped crying and looked at Xiong Feng in astonishment.

Liu Laosan panicked and hurriedly said, "Xiong Feng, are you sure you're not mistaken? Jinlan Courtyard has been abandoned for over twenty years, there's no one in there at all!"

Xiong Feng thought about it carefully and became more and more certain. "Your Majesty, I did not see wrong. The plaque above the courtyard reads 'Jinlan Courtyard.' I did not know what the courtyard was used for and was afraid of being discovered. I hid in the corner and waited for a quarter of an hour, but no one came out, so I left."

The emperor took a deep breath and, with a grim face, ordered, "Zhou Song, forget it! Marquis Yong'an, take your men and search Jinlan Courtyard now, and bring Xiong Feng with you."

The eunuch Zhou and the Empress Dowager's confidants also went along.

As they left the imperial study, Xiong Feng whispered to Liu Laosan, "Uncle Liu, is there a problem with Jinlan Courtyard?"

Liu Laosan strode forward with a cold face and replied seriously, "This matter involves some royal secrets. Why are you asking so many questions, you little kid? Are you sure the other party really entered Jinlan Courtyard?"

Xiong Feng nodded emphatically, "I'll take you there to see."

Xiong Feng ran forward, followed by a group of people and a squad of Imperial Guards. When the group reached the corner of the passageway, Xiong Feng ran a few more steps forward and pointed to the rooftop not far away. "Look, I was right here. Isn't that 'Jinlan Courtyard' over there? That person went in through that doorway and never came out."

Eunuch Zhou surveyed the surroundings and said, "The Imperial Guards pass by every two hours. As long as you time it right and avoid them, it's safe to run here."

"Eunuch Zhou, let's go in and take a look quickly," said Granny Gui, the Empress Dowager's trusted confidante.

The group stepped through the doorway. Before them lay a cobblestone floor overgrown with weeds, the water in the large vats in the courtyard had dried up, the pavilions nearby were covered in cobwebs, and while the doors and windows of the main hall appeared intact, they were actually on the verge of collapse. There was no sign of anyone having been there.

The left and right wing rooms were in similar condition, and the situation inside could be clearly seen through the windows, making it impossible for anyone to hide.

The group tacitly avoided going inside and instead went around to the back. There was a small doorway there, and beyond that was a courtyard with a well nearby. Firewood was piled up in the corner of the eaves, making it look more like a small kitchen.

Xiong Feng looked surprised, because he knew that only the Imperial Kitchen in the palace had a well, which was used specifically for cooking.

This courtyard must have had a small kitchen before; it seems even the Empress didn't have such a privilege.

At this moment, even someone as ignorant as him could tell that this Jinlan Courtyard was extraordinary, and his face paled even more.

Liu Laosan led the Imperial Guards to search every house in the courtyard.

Xiong Feng wanted to join the search, but his legs went weak with fear, and he tripped over the uneven ground, falling flat on his face.

Liu Laosan was speechless. Just as he was about to pull him up, he suddenly noticed something strange about the crack in the ground. "Come and see, there's blood here!"

Zhou Gonggong, Gui Mama, and the others immediately ran over, and upon closer inspection, they all covered their mouths in unison.

The bloodstains around the edge of the bluestone slab were indeed dried; if you didn't look closely, you might mistake them for dirt.

The trail of blood stretched all the way to the well.

Upon closer inspection, however, there was nothing unusual in the water.

Granny Gui got goosebumps. "We must report to the Empress Dowager immediately. There really is a problem with this courtyard!"

What she really wanted to say was that something was wrong with the well, but she didn't dare to speak up.

Liu Laosan also realized the seriousness of the problem, and immediately ordered the Imperial Guards to surround Jinlan Courtyard, while he hurriedly took Xiong Feng back to the Imperial Study to report.

"Your Majesty, a dried bloodstain has been found in the courtyard of the small kitchen in Jinlan Courtyard. The bloodstain extends all the way to the well and then disappears. Please make a decision!"

Upon receiving Gui Mama's hint, the Empress Dowager's face paled, and after a long while, two lines of tears streamed down her face in anguish. "Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly! You must investigate this thoroughly! What happened back then must never happen again!"

The emperor clenched his fists coldly, took a deep breath, and opened his eyes again, his mind made up. "Marquis Yong'an, do whatever you suspect. The Imperial Guards will all be under your command. You must thoroughly investigate the matter at Jinlan Courtyard!"

"Yes!"

After Liu Laosan left, the Emperor looked at Princess Qingkang and said, "Qingkang, I will investigate the matter of your daughter's poisoning and give you an explanation. This matter has nothing to do with Shen Congrong, the grandson of the Marquis of Yong'an. As a princess, you should be able to distinguish right from wrong. I will not pursue the rest of the matter out of consideration for your loss of your daughter. You may leave now!"

Princess Qingkang was too ashamed to face anyone and left the Imperial Study kneeling with her head down.

Seeing her like this, the Empress Dowager and the Empress felt very uncomfortable.

The Empress Dowager, in particular, clutched her chest and lamented her hardship, "These past few times, Qingkang brought his daughter to the palace to pay her respects. I thought Furong was a good girl, and originally intended to go along with Qingkang's wishes and matchmake Ajue and Furong, but unexpectedly..."

The Empress, standing to the side, angrily advised, "Mother, it's fortunate that you haven't mentioned this matter yet. Zhao Furong is only thirteen years old. If a thirteen-year-old girl can bully a ten-year-old child like this, it's clear that she's not a truly kind person."

Furthermore, the fact that that girl could say such things either stems from being exposed to it from a young age or from someone teaching her; either way, it demonstrates the Zhao family's poor upbringing.